By Gita Kapur of Law Offices of Gita B. Kapur on Tuesday, April 28, 2015.

The case is Pineda Cruz et al. v. Thompson et al., case number 5:15-cv-00326, filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Three immigrant mothers held at a Texas detention facility who had fled to the United States with their respective children to escape widespread life-threatening violence and sexual violence in their home countries, filed a lawsuit alleging that they were held in isolation in retaliation for their hunger strike to protest their detention and conditions at the center. Per the lawsuit, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officials coordinated with the GEO Group Inc., the private operator of the Karnes County Residential Center, to attempt to intimidate the women by telling them they would be deemed "mentally unfit" to care for their children if they continue to protest their treatment at the facility. The lawsuit does not seek monetary damages but an injunction that prevents the detention centers operators from continuing to violate their civil rights, which includes the right to first amendment. The women claim that the despite the U.S. Department of Homeland Security finding them to have credible fear claim to seek asylum, they are continue to be detained at the facility, which is unjust to them and their children. The plaintiffs seek that the putative class include not only past and current detainees but those who will be detained at Karnes in the future.

By Gita Kapur of Law Offices of Gita B. Kapur posted in Immigration Reform on Tuesday, April 28, 2015.

In a recent article on New York Times, Roberto Suro, a professor of public policy and journalism at the University of Southern California, and Marcelo M. Suarez-Orozco, the dean of the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, talked about the harmful effects on children on threat of parents' deportation can cause, which could result in delay cognitive development, lower educational performance, and clinical levels of anxiety. Per the authors of the article, one of every 15 children living in the United States has an unauthorized parent. Think of this one in 15 statistic when you next time pass by a park or school, and look at those beautiful innocent faces. Those children are punished every day with a threat that one day federal government would take their parents away from them, and they might never see them again. President Obama has tried to address this problem in November, 2014 by issuance of one of the executive reform, Deferred Action of Parenthood Arrivals (DAPA), which would grant permission to parents of American citizens and legal residents to remain in the United States for three years and to work legally as long as they meet a number of conditions. However, the executive reform is facing legal challenges right now. Unfortunately, there is no reasonable case to be made for punishing those children. The American sense of fairness and system of justice have long embraced the notion that the "sins of the father" should not be visited on the children. Yet these children are being punished every day.

By Gita Kapur of Law Offices of Gita B. Kapur posted in Immigration Reform on Friday, April 17, 2015.

Today, after a hearing on the whether temporary hold on President Obama's executive actions on immigration should be lifted, the United States Court Of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit did not rule and took both sides argument under advisement. Nor did the judges indicate when they would rule. In the event the appeals court lifts the temporary injunction, the administration for Obama could quickly move to carry out the executive orders which consists of expanding the immigration and extend deportation protection to certain parents of U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents who have in the country for several years. The provision was slated to begin on May 19, 2015. Even if the injunction is lifted, opponents could still block the executive order by appealing to the Supreme Court. Moreover, even if the program proceeds, the underlying lawsuit challenging the President Obama's executive action could still continue in Texas. The briefs on the merits of the underlying lawsuit is due in mid-May, and a hearing could come in early as June. Therefore, there are many challenges lies ahead for the Obama's executive immigration action.

By Gita Kapur of Law Offices of Gita B. Kapur on Thursday, April 2, 2015.

According to Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, a community organization that provides free legal services to underserved immigrants and refugees, about 25 women held at the Karnes Family Detention Camp have started a Holy Week hunger strike, demanding the release of themselves and their children. The hunger strike arose because many of the children aren't eating well in confinement and their health being isn't doing well. Some Refuge mom and children have been held in detention facility over a year. Refugee moms wants to be treated with respect and dignity and their rights to the immigration process to be respected.

The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.

Law Offices of Gita B. Kapur is located in Los Angeles, California, and serves clients throughout Southern California including clients in the following cities and counties: Adelanto, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Pasadena, San Fernando Valley, Santa Monica,
Riverside,
Ontario, San Bernardino,
Chula Vista, Santa Ana, Palmdale, Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, Riverside County and Ventura County.